Detachable handle for containers

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a wire handle for milk cartons or the like which is shaped to form a finger loop the end portions of the wire extending out of the plane of the loop and given a return bend toward the loop, the parallel, return sections being spaced wider apart than the parallel, outwardly extending sections so that as the container load is applied to the handle it will increase the gripping force of the handle on the container.

llited States Patent Grow [4 1 Mar. 20, 1972 [54] DETACHABLE HANDLE FOR CONTAINERS [72] inventor: Paul E. Grow, 2128 South Walnut St.,

Muncie, lnd. 47302 [22] Filed: Feb. 17, 1971 [2]] App]. No.: 116,111

[52] US. Cl. ..294/27 H [5 1 Int. Cl. ..A41j 45/07 [58] Field of Search "294/27, 22 H; 220/85 H, 52

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Setzler .2 94/27 2,806,731 9/1957 Comstock ..294/27 Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegerter Assistant Examinerl. Kenneth Silverman Attorney-Woodard, Weikart, Emhardt & Naughton [5 7] ABSTRACT Disclosed is a wire handle for milk cartons or the like which is shaped to form a finger loop the end portions of the wire extending out of the plane of the loop and given a return bend toward the loop, the parallel, return sections being spaced wider apart than the parallel, outwardly extending sections so that as the container load is applied to the handle it will increase the gripping force of the handle on the container.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAR28 I972 3,652,115

IN VEN TOR /H/L 6(0 14/ BY Y Mam ml,

ATTORNEYS 1 DETACIIABLE HANDLE FOR CONTAINERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many liquid or semiliquid foods, milk being a primary example, are packaged in moisture impervious paperboard cartons having inclined upper side walls meeting in a centrally peaked top ridge and with inwardly recessed gable ends. Such cartons, particularly the 1 gallon capacity type and bulky quantity discount containers, are difficult to handle, both before opening and in pouring from the customary opened end spout.

The handle structure of the present invention can be easily slipped on the upper end portion of such a carton or container and its components cooperate with the inclined upper sidewalls of the container so that the container load, applied to the handle member as the container is lifted, is translated into increased gripping force by the handle member on the ridged peak of the container thus insuring that the container will not slip from, or detach itself from, the handle member. Depending upon the size of the container, one or a duplicate pair of the handle members may be utilized.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION or THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view ofthe handle member embodying the present invention installed upon a DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, there is shown a conventional gabled container having a centrally peaked top ridge 10, formed by the juncture of the inclined sidewalls 11 and 12. The conventional container is provided with recessed, gable ends 13 as illustrated in Fig. 2, one gable end of the top portion of the container may be conventionally pulled outwardly to provide the end pouring spout 16. The structure so far described, it will be understood, is a conventional container of the. type customarily used to transport and dispense dairy products.

The detachable handle member embodying the present invention is shown separated from the container in Fig. 4 and shown installed on the container in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The handle memberis formed of heavy, relatively stiff or ridged wire which is shaped to provide a finger-accommodating loop 17. The two end portions of the wire, identified at 18 and 19 in Fig. I extend outwardly from the plane of the loop 17. The end portions are then bent back upon themselves toward the loop and terminate adjacent to the loop, the return wire sections being identified at 21 and 22. As shown in Fig. 4, the terminal ends of the return wire sections 21 and 22 may each be provided with a retention burr or abutment identified at 26.

The retention abutment serves to assure that the holder will not slip from the container, however, this abutment is not necessaryin achieving the sealing and locking feature of the handle structure.

In operation, as will be evident from FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle is placed on the container so that the top ridge 10 of the container extends between the outwardly extending sections 18 and 19 and the return sections 21 and 22 extend beneath the adjacent, inclined sidewalls 11 and 12 of the container. As will be evident from Fig. 3, the return sections 21 and 22 are spaced more widely apart than are the outwardly extending sections 18 and 19 so that section 21 is outboard of section 18 a and section 22 is outboard of section 19. Because the conwill be normal to the lane of the sidewalls 11 and 12 as indicated by the arrows l and 32 in Fig. 3. This loading force will have a horizontal component providing a lateral closing force on the return wire sections 21 and 22 as indicated by the arrows 33 and 34. This lateral closing force exerted on the sections 21 and 22 will tend to apply-also a closing force on the outwardly extending sections 18 and 19 squeezing them 1 toward each other. The greater the load provided by the container on the handle the greater will be the closing force ultimately exerted on the sections 18 and 19 and the greater will I be the gripping force of sections 18 and 19 on the carton ridge 10. This sealing and locking action by the handle on the carton ridge insures that the handlewill not slip from or otherwise detach itself from the container as the container is manipulated in handling or pouring from the container.

1 claim: 1. A detachable handle member for containers of the type having a centrally peaked top ridge and inwardly recessed I gable ends with inclined sidewalls joined along the top ridge,

said handle member being formed of heavy relatively rigid wire shaped to provide a finger-accommodating loop, the end portions of the wire extending outwardly from the plane of the loop and being bent back upon themselves toward said loop and terminating adjacent thereto, the sections of said end portions extending outwardly from said loop being closely spaced and parallel, the return sections also being parallel and spaced apart more widely than said first mentioned sections, whereby with the top ridge of a carton extending between said outwardly extending sections and said return sections extending beneath-the adjacent inclined sidewalls of the carton, as the carton is lifted by said loop the load applied to said return sections of the handle members by the inclined carton sidewalls exerts a lateral closing force on said return wire sections increasing the gripping force of said outwardly extending wire sections on said carton ridge.

2. A detachable handle member as claimed in claim 1 in which said return wire sections are provided with a retention abutment adjacent their free ends. 

1. A detachable handle member for containers of the type having a centrally peaked top ridge and inwardly recessed gable ends with inclined sidewalls joined along the top ridge, said handle member being formed of heavy relatively rigid wire shaped to provide a finger-accommodating loop, the end portions of the wire extending outwardly from the plane of the loop and being bent back upon themselves toward said loop and terminating adjacent thereto, the sections of said end portions extending outwardly from said loop being closely spaced and parallel, the return sections also being parallel and spaced apart more widely than said first mentioned sections, whereby with the top ridge of a carton extending between said outwardly extending sections and said return sections extending beneath the adjacent inclined sidewalls of the carton, as the carton is lifted by said loop the load applied to said return sections of the handle members by the inclined carton sidewalls exerts a lateral closing force on said return wire sections increasing the gripping force of said outwardly extending wire sections on said carton ridge.
 2. A detachable handle member as claimed in claim 1 in which said return wire sections are provided with a retention abutment adjacent their free ends. 